


Ill-Fated Relaxation: A Picnic, a Date, and Triple Triad

by AnonymousXIV



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/F, Female Friendship, Female Protagonist, Light-Hearted, Non-Canon Relationship, One Shot, Viera Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:28:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23706145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonymousXIV/pseuds/AnonymousXIV
Summary: In the days after the restoration of the six elements in the Empty, the Warrior of Light takes it upon herself to help the budding friendship between Ryne and Gaia blossom. Wishing both to remain a part of their lives for awhile longer, but also to step back and give them room to grow on their own, she chaperones a picnic for the girls in Il Mheg. However, the Faerie Kingdom is a dangerous place for any mortal—friend or foe—and even the simplest plans with the best of intentions can go awry.
Relationships: Gaia/Ryne | Minfilia
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	Ill-Fated Relaxation: A Picnic, a Date, and Triple Triad

Gaia yawned. She thought it would be exciting to ride in a flying carriage, especially one as sleek and beautiful as the Regalia Type-G. But aside from the novelty of its design and the comfortable seating, it really wasn't that different from riding in the Skyslipper. And while she enjoyed the prospect of having a famous hero acting as her valet, only three of them were riding out today: the Warrior of Darkness, herself, and Ryne, her first and best friend.

Ryne sat across from her, marveling at the sights of northern Lakeland as if she was just seeing them for the first time. They had some common ground between them, being the same age and having both come from Eulmore, albeit under very different circumstances. But to anyone watching them, they must've seemed like total opposites. _I'd thought the same not too long ago, and pushed her away every chance I'd gotten. But who could keep that up after what she'd done for me? After what I'd done for her? And now we're going off on a picnic together._

On the other hand, the Warrior of Darkness was... fairly easy on the eyes. More so than usual today, at that. Her long white hair—normally tied up in a ponytail—cascaded freely down her shoulders and back, and her matching draped gown contrasted nicely with her swarthy complexion. Such an elegant look would be unexpected on anyone outside of Eulmore; It was shocking to see it on someone she'd thought was the sort to sleep in her armor. _But looks can't tell you everything about a person, and I hardly know anything about her to begin with. Mostly stoic, with a chance of humor or kindness. Oh, and like every Viis, she's unreasonably tall. The ears aren't helping that, either... and I guess I know her name: Galbana Lily. But that sounds more like a flower than a real name..._

She began to tap her foot on the back of the driver's seat. Not out of any particular need, but merely to alleviate her boredom. That caught Lily's attention and she briefly glanced back at her, a concerned look on her face. "Is something the matter, your ladyship?"

 _There's that ‘humor’ again_. It was friendly ribbing at worst, but she wasn't in the mood for it this morning. "Can't this thing go any faster? At the rate we're going-."

"We will reach Il Mheg before noon. Have patience, Gaia."

She rolled her eyes, arms crossed in mild contempt. _If I'd known we'd be leaving on such a long trip, I'd have brought a book with me._ Just then, her stomach growled. Not the cutest thing a girl her age could be doing—she could feel her cheeks flushing red at the mere thought of it.

One of the two, perhaps both, elicited a laugh from Ryne. "I'm feeling pretty hungry too. I've just been distracting myself by watching the scenery."

Gaia turned to look at her friend, raising an eyebrow. "Does that really work?"

"So far, yes. Just don't look at the clouds."

Looking straight past Ryne, she saw only the tops of mountains. Above them were clouds, shaped and fluffed like piles of mashed popotoes...

Gaia's stomach growled again, eliciting another laugh. Eager to regain her composure, she slid up over the divider between their seats, scooting Ryne to the edge to sit down next to her. Leaning over to look down, she spotted a few lounging beasts far below—smilodons from what little she could make out—and not much else other than pale green trees and grass.

She shook her head. "What's so fascinating about that?"

Ryne's response was little more than a verbal shrug. "Nothing, but it helped, right?"

"I guess..." She let out a long sigh, continuing to look out from the side of the Regalia. Nothing in particular caught her eye, but at this point she wanted determinedly to lose herself in mundane sightseeing. That strength of will kept her mind off her hunger, but once her resolve wore thin she couldn't help but notice one of Ryne's arms had wrapped itself around her shoulders.

Ryne seemed to notice, too. "Ah, sorry! It's just that it was getting a little uncomfortable. I don't think these seats were made for sharing."

"It's fine," Gaia said, taking the other hand and holding it on her lap, "it just distracted me is all. Is that a bear down there?"

She found it easier to lose track of time here, gazing down at the world below with Ryne. Nothing she saw was particularly interesting, but pretending to care was working well enough to keep her rumbling belly quiet. Her lack of interest changed with the gradually deepening hues of the foliage, but what she saw when Ryne directed her forward really caught her eye: Rolling emerald hills and fields of brightly colored flowers stretched out to the edge of a sparkling sapphire lake, and rising above it was a castle straight out of a faerie tale.

"I wasn't expecting it to be so... vibrant. I wonder why nobody lives here."

"About that..." Lily began, keeping her eyes forward. "Before we land at the Bookman's Shelves, I've got a lot of things I need to impart about the denizens of Il Mheg. We’ll be passing by them first, so let’s start with the Pixies.”

“I think I’ve seen a picture of one before.” Gaia tried to recall it. “Little green men with wings, right?”

Ryne chimed in, giving her a gentle squeeze out of excitement. “Right! Well, mostly. They come in a lot of different colors, but green seems the most common. They’ve got big eyes and wings, and tiny little hands and feet.”

Gaia raised an eyebrow. “Okay. What’s so bad about them, then?”

“Well, they’re pretty childish, and also very powerful.” Ryne looked over the edge of the Regalia, then pointed down at some odd looking shrubbery. “Those are leafmen—victims of the Pixies’ magic. They… used to be people like us.”

“Oh. ” Her already quite pale face had drained entirely. _I’m going to die here, aren’t I? How the hells are both of you so calm about this place?_ “A-anything else?”

“Well, you want to avoid saying too much to them. Letting them have your name gives them a little power over you, for example. Oh, and Lily told me they’re terrified of beavers.”

“What.”

Ryne shrugged. “I don’t get it either.”

Once more, Lily took back the conversation. “For some reason, pixies who run across beavers seem to disappear, and in their place are more beavers. I had dealings with a few beavers once, and have some suspicions about it. But I’ve never seen a beaver prey on anything but pixies, so we shouldn’t have to worry about them.”

“A-are you serious? How do you… have dealings… with beavers?”

Without so much as a pause, Lily dismissed her concerns. “I’m afraid that’s a long story, and there are more pertinent fair folk to cover. Though, since Ryne seems pretty enthusiastic about this, perhaps I should leave it to her. Ryne?”

“Alright. Well, after the Pixies there’s the Fuath. Normally you find them in or near the water, and we all went to their domain, Don Mheg, not too long ago. It was really beautiful, but the Fuath themselves…”

And so her explanation went on, going from the journey through Don Mheg to the Fuath in general, then the studious and fair—to a fault—Nu Mou, the Amaro village of Wolekdorf, and finally the castle above the lake and the faerie King. By the time she finished—not too long before they would need to land—Gaia’s feelings had solidified. _This land is one giant nightmare. Why would anyone want to come here for a picnic?_

***

The Regalia came to a stop in the center of the Bookman's Shelves. Lily stepped out onto the cobblestone road beneath them first. Turning to open Gaia's door for her, she was caught off guard by the sight of the two, still sharing Ryne's seat, and couldn't help but smile.

"Enjoying the trip after all?" That earned her a smile and nod from Ryne, and a scowl from a blushing Gaia. "Well, we are not far from our destination now. No doubt you've seen the lake under the castle on our way here. You girls can go on ahead if you like, and I will grab our belongings."

The journey to Longmirror Lake was not terribly long. Lily had packed lightly for the picnic—one basket alone was enough to carry all the food she'd made, and the other held everything else: silverware, glass cups, cloth napkins, and a blanket. It also held a bathing suit and a few towels, as she anticipated the need to make some space for Ryne and Gaia. And after all she'd been through in recent days and what she had to look forward to in the future, a little space for herself would be much appreciated, too.

As she set the baskets down in the grass, Ryne moved close enough to grab her hand. "Please, let me help you with that. It's one thing to fly us all the way out here, but it's not really fair to make you do all the work."

"Thank you, Ryne." It was hardly necessary—all she had to do was lay down the quilt and set out a few dishes. But the sentiment alone was meaningful enough to her. That an extra set of hands would speed up the process was an added bonus. A third set might've been even better, of course, but a cursory glance told her their owner would much rather skip pebbles across the lake's surface.

With the quilt and one of the towels down, she dug out her bathing suit and held it up. It was jet black and frilly, and contrasted especially with the simple white dress she was wearing. So it was no surprise that Ryne would immediately catch sight of it, though her sheer exuberance and the way her eyes lit up came as a surprise to the Viera.

"That's such a lovely bathing suit! Are you planning to go for a swim? I'd join you, but I haven't anything of the sort of my own yet, and this is the only set of clothes I brought with us."

Lily smiled, patting her on the shoulder. "We will fix that for next time, perhaps. I was hoping to leave the two of you alone, anyways. Is that alright?"

"That's fine, yes." But despite her acceptance, the glint of disappointment in Ryne's eyes was plain to see. Folding the bathing suit under her arm, Lily pulled the young girl into a hug.

"I promise not to be gone for long. And the next time we have a picnic, I'll make sure you can join me for a swim if you so desire. And Gaia, too."

"Thank you." Ryne replied, returning the hug. "Be mindful of the Fuath, and let Gaia know we're ready to eat, okay?"

With a satisfied nod, Lily strode down to the shoreline, eager to get into the water. She approached Gaia, kneeling down beside her and meeting her gaze with a smile. "Everything is set up, and Ryne is waiting for you."

Gaia looked her over for a moment, lingering on the bathing suit. "Going off for a swim, then." it was not quite a question, and her annoyance was too clear to miss.

"Yes. I would not want to intrude overmuch on your time together, so-."

Gaia glared, silencing her. When she spoke, it was in a stern and accusing tone. "You saw fit to drag us on an hours-long journey to what is apparently the most dangerous land in Norvrandt, but being a third wheel is a step too far for you. Is that right?"

"That is not..." She trailed off, the words choking in her throat. She was not the sort to crack under pressure, but the week had been long and hard for her. Whether she wanted to or not, it seemed there was little choice but to weather her storm. At the very least, it would give her time to sort her feelings out.

Gaia stood up, gripping the Viera's chin to maintain eye contact. Staring up at her from this vantage point had a bewildering effect on Lily—she practically towered over the girl normally, and so was not used to feeling so small. "Well, it seems that way to me. Frankly, I wouldn't mind if you didn't act like you were doing us a favor. We could've just as easily had a picnic in the Crystarium, or anywhere else for that matter."

She nodded, feeling mildly ashamed. It was true that their lengthy trip to Il Mheg was unnecessary. They could have easily found a secluded place in the shadow of Syrcus Tower, and Lakeland alone had many safe venues. "I had considered other places, but Il Mheg-."

This time it was the sound of the girl's stomach rumbling that cut her off. Suddenly her chin was free from her grasp, and her head drooped down. "Ugh… I-I don't care. This is a waste of my time." With that she stomped off, leaving Lily to stew in her own thoughts.

"I don't deserve this." She muttered under her breath, her fingers gripping the dirt beneath her. But arguing with Gaia would've been pointless at best. She would have to tackle this situation from another angle later. Right now, she just needed to cool off. With a heavy sigh and the rolling of her shoulders, she stood up and stripped off her dress, letting it fall into a pile around her ankles. Slipping out of her shoes, she donned her bathing suit, pulling it up over her breasts and wrapping the straps around the back of her neck.

To her surprise, someone took the straps from her hands, tying them into a taut ribbon. She spun around, only to find herself staring at the cheeky grin of Feo Ul.

"I must be going deaf. I should have heard you coming, Feo Ul."

The pixie playfully flicked one of her ears, watching it twitch in response. "Those delightfully fluffy ears of yours seem to be working fine. My adorable sapling, what was all that racket just now?"

Looking over to the chosen spot for the picnic, she let out a sigh. They were out of earshot, and it couldn't hurt to unburden herself a little bit. "That was my friend, Gaia. She is not pleased with my choice to picnic in Il Mheg today."

Feo Ul planted a tiny hand under her chin, as if mimicking Gaia. "She’s not wrong. That is, to be frank, a terrible idea for any mortal. Whatever led you to bring them here?”

"Though Gaia is less experienced, they are both capable fighters. I felt we could protect each other well enough.” But that didn’t quite answer the question posed to her, and so she gave it more thought. “I… suppose I wanted many things. To help push them along in their budding friendship. To share experiences like this, that they might broaden their horizons. To be a part of their life for however long I might remain on Norvrandt. I may not return here in their lifetime, after all.”

"Well, those are some nice sentiments, but..." Feo Ul said, gesturing to the far ends of Il Mheg, "You can’t do much to protect anyone out here if you’re down in the lake." Then the pixie grinned, poking the Viera on the tip of her nose. "So I guess I’ll have to play ‘Nu Mou’ for you. Here’s a deal: I’ll watch over your little wards for you, and in return you can bring them to the castle for a little fun. I’ll even throw in a solution for your little dilemma."

Lily beamed in gratitude. "Thank you, my beautiful branch. Truly I would be lost without you." It may have sounded a little facetious, but right now she meant it.

Much to her relief, the diminutive sprite shot her a cute smirk, seemingly having enjoyed the remark. "I'll let the flattery slide for now. Get going before I change my mind."

With a cheerful nod, Lily waded into the waters of Longmirror Lake. Once deep enough, she gracefully slipped beneath the surface, rippling the reflection of the pixie and the sky above.

***

As Gaia settled down on the quilt across from Ryne, she let out a beleaguered moan. _Calling her out hasn’t changed anything. I’m still stranded out here, and there’s no telling if or when I’ll meet my end. The best I can do is try to enjoy what might be the rest of my life..._

"Is something the matter?"

She met Ryne's worried gaze and shook her head. "Nothing you need to worry about." She then looked down at the dishes scattered around the quilt—each sealed tightly with lids. "So, what've we got here?"

Ryne took the plates one by one, gingerly removing the lids before laying them back down on the quilt. "There's three plates of peppered popotoes and sausage links, one for each of us. And right here is a plate of caramels and coffee biscuits. This plate has a pixieberry cheesecake, and this," she said with a smile, pointing to a large canteen off to the side, "is full of spring water. There’s glass cups and silverware in this basket, and a few towels in the other." With that taken care of, she turned her attention back to the first basket, pulling out a knife and cutting a slice of cheesecake for herself.

Even as each dish had glided from Ryne’s hands down to the quilt below, they lingered together in her mind. She whistled, leaning forward to grab a fork from the basket. "It's no banquet, but putting all of this together on such short notice must have cost a fair bit." When that elicited a giggle from Ryne, she raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

"All of the food was free. She made it herself."

Gaia's eyes widened and she nearly dropped her fork. "Pardon?"

"Well, I helped a little. I kept an eye on the food whenever she needed to start on another dish."

"That's... awfully nice of her." She reluctantly dug in, poking one of the sausage links with her fork. _Well, if it’s not professionally made then there's no accounting for how good it'll taste._ She raised it to her lips, parting them, and sank her teeth into the tender meat. Grease coated her tongue as she flipped the bit around inside her mouth before chewing it to shreds, savoring the salty treat with every bite.

It would've been fine to just sit there and enjoy herself, but the sight of her friend's cute little smirk snapped her out of it. With a grimace on her face, she finally swallowed.

Ryne looked over at her worriedly. "Do you not like it? Maybe you should try something else instead, and I'll eat the sausages."

"No," Gaia said, staring at the sausage stuck in her fork, "It's delicious. The best sausage I've ever eaten, in fact." Bite after bite, she greedily devoured the rest of the sausage. Wiping the grease from her lips with a towel, she dug her fork into one of the popoto wedges, spearing a sprig of parsley along with it. "But that's just the sausage, of course." But as she slipped her fork between her teeth, any chance of keeping her steely composure was lost. "Ish too good. Why ish ih sho good?"

Ryne shrugged, digging into the slice of cheesecake she'd brought to her plate. Her reaction was much less dramatic, though it was clear from the smile on her face that she was enjoying it. "We could ask her once she gets back. I'm sure she'd be happy to know you love her cooking, too."

After finishing her plate of peppered popotoes and cleansing her palette with a sip of water, Gaia turned her attention to the caramels. She half-expected them to stick to her fingers, but the cubes proved firm enough to grip and she was able to pop two in her mouth without making a mess. They were every bit as delicious as the sausage, and she couldn't help but let her lingering resentment melt away in their buttery sweetness. The coffee biscuits were about what she expected, though still quite good, as was the pixieberry cheesecake.

By the time she made it back to her own plate and its remaining sausage link, she was feeling too stuffed full of sweets to continue. Instead she wet her hands with the water from her glass. After wiping them clean with her napkin, she slipped a small, intricate black and silver tin out of the roomy confines of her left sleeve. Popping it open, she began sifting through her collection of Triple Triad cards.

"What are those?" Ryne asked, setting down a half-eaten coffee biscuit on her plate and leaning over to get a better look.

"Cards for playing Triple Triad. I've been collecting them for… for a while now... and was looking for a chance to practice." _Truth be told, I can’t remember where I first got them. But once I started playing, I knew this game was made for me._ She picked out her ten best cards, then put the rest back in their case. "There's to be a tournament tomorrow afternoon in Eulmore, and I aim to win it."

"That sounds fun! I'd love to give it a try, if you don't mind."

Without missing a beat, Gaia set the cards in her hand on the quilt before Ryne. "Pick any five you like, and we'll begin. But wash your hands first. You're not handling them with sticky fingers." That kept her friend busy long enough for her to clear a space for them to play, and once the cards had been divvied up, she laid her first one down right in the center.

Once it was placed down, the card turned a shade of blue—a glamour trick that seemed innate to every Triple Triad card, though how the cards knew where and when they were played was anyone's guess. "Now it's your turn. I'm blue and you're red. If you want to turn one of my cards red, you need to play a card with a higher number on the adjacent side. And since I played my card in the center, there's four spaces for you to try that."

Ryne nodded, peering down over her cards for several seconds, before setting one down on the space above. Gaia's card turned red, as expected. "So we keep taking turns like this, right?"

"Right. You made a pretty good first play, but see here?" Gaia pointed to the left side of Ryne's card, which sported a 2. She then set down a card in the upper-left corner, smiling as it turned Ryne's card blue. "You don't want to leave a weak side open like that."

As she peered over her cards again, Ryne shook her head. "I don't have anything that can beat what you've got down now." She looked over them again, then played her second card in the bottom-right corner.

"I figured as much, given which cards were missing." Gaia played her third in the bottom-left position. _I could win this easily, but that’s not the point. Time to teach her a new rule._ "You see how the card I played there has a six at the top, and the card I played before has an 8 at the bottom?" Seeing Ryne nod, she continued. "You should have a card with the same values, but on opposite sides. If the Plus rule is in affect—which as of now it is—you can play that card right there and take both of mine."

Ryne did as instructed, oohing as it turned both of Gaia's cards red. "It's because the sides add up to the same total, right?"

"Right. Now I'll place my fourth card in the bottom slot to flip the one in the middle..."

Two more plays later, and the game was finished. Once more Ryne leaned over their makeshift board. "There's four blue cards and five red. So who wins?"

"Well," said Gaia, scooping up the cards and shuffling them, "counting the last card in your hand, there are six red cards. That means the score is four to six, and that means you’ve won."

Ryne leaned back, a look of surprise on her face. "Wait, I won? But I've never even played before."

"Only because of the Plus rule. And I don't mind, since the point is to teach you how to play. Now let's go again, and this time we'll try the Same and Combo rules. Combo tends to be rolled into Same and Plus, mind you, but I felt like keeping it separate for now." Once more she handed the cards to Ryne, letting her have her pick of the lot. "You go first this time."

And so they played, game after game. Once she'd run out of rules to teach Ryne, they started shuffling the entire deck to play random cards instead, hoping that the random selection would keep the game more interesting. Ryne seemed to enjoy it immensely, and Gaia had gotten so engrossed in their endless match that she hadn't noticed Lily's return until she sat down opposite them on the quilt.

She eyed the Viis up and down, trying to summon forth her anger, but she couldn’t manage it. _If anyone was going to attack us, they’d have done so by now. And I can hardly begrudge her after eating all that food._ Now feeling somewhat embarrassed, she looked for anything she could say to get a conversation going. "You're... still in your bathing suit." Silently, she cursed herself. _Good job, Gaia. Of all the stupid things you could've opened with, you had to pick her one piece._

"Yes. Regrettably, lake water has a tendency to leave one soaked, and I would rather dry off before changing." Though if she truly intended to do so, she didn't show it, instead turning her attention to her own plate of popotoes and sausage links. "I see the two of you have already finished your meals. Were they to your liking?"

Ryne beamed a bright smile, hands clasped before her chest. "All of it was delicious! Especially the cheesecake, that was my favorite!"

Gaia's response was much less enthusiastic. "It was... adequate. Thank you." _Oh, to hells with it._ "In fact, I liked it better than Ryne did."

Ryne cocked her head to the side, as if in thought. "Well, you were giggling the whole time you ate those caramels, so I guess that's true."

Her cheeks began to flush red, but she wasn't about to go down swinging. "Oh? What about the look on your face when you had those biscuits? I half-expected you to float off into the clouds."

"Hehe, that's true." If Ryne was aware at all of the war they were waging, it scarcely showed through that dopey, adorable smile of hers. "Oh, and remember the popotoes? I've never seen you smile like that before!"

Gaia—now fully red in the face—was about to rebuke her in this bizarre contest of theirs when they were interrupted by the sound of laughter. The Warrior of Darkness had a deeper voice than either of them, of course, but to hear her laugh with that rich, velvety register of hers was really something else.

"I'm happy to hear that, you two. I've worked up quite an appetite myself, of course." With that, Lily turned her attention back to her plate, grabbing one of the sausages and chomping down on it.

Regaining her composure once more, Gaia shrugged her shoulders. _Her table manners are even worse than Ryne's, but whatever._ "Enjoy your lunch, then. Do you want to keep playing, Ryne?"

***

Lily sat there in perfect silence, slowly kneading her lunch with her teeth. It was a rare occurrence that she ate for the pleasure of it, especially in the company of another. That she had a front row seat for a friendly game or ten of cards was a nice bonus.

Her thoughts turned to her own collection, gathered over the course of her adventures in her world. Most of them were fairly common cards, but every now and then she'd find an exceptionally rare one in the most unlikely of places. But while she was certainly familiar with the rules of Triple Triad, she'd never played it to any serious degree.

Perhaps it was time to change that, however. She knew of the tournament being held in Eulmore tomorrow, and had business to take care of at the Beehive in the coming week as an excuse to be there. If any time were appropriate to get some practice in, this would be it.

It was another ten games—and a slice of pixieberry cheesecake—before she'd have an opportunity to cut in. With a gentle yawn, Ryne handed her cards back to Gaia. "I feel like taking a nap before we move on. Thank you for teaching me how to play, Gaia!"

"Mm. Enjoy your nap." As Ryne laid her head down upon a towel, Gaia turned her attention to Lily. "So... have you considered a career as a chef?"

The question took her by surprise, but only just. "I have, though the opportunity slipped by me." She lowered her head, took a deep breath, and smiled. This was more than just a chance to improve her skills now. "It is a long story, but I would be happy to tell it sometime. Perhaps I could share it over a few games of Triple Triad?"

Her question lingered in the air for several seconds as Gaia, rather than responding, simply looked at her with disdain. She followed the girl's gaze all the way down to her hands. "You've been handling food with your bare hands. Wash them first and dry yourself off. Then we'll play. You can borrow my cards if you don't have any."

"That won't be necessary." she said, wiping her hands clean after rinsing them with the last of her spring water. After using one of the spare towels to dry herself off, she took up Ryne's position and slipped her hand into her swimsuit, pulling out her own collection of Triple Triad cards. As she was taking inventory of her cards, she couldn't help but notice the skeptical look on Gaia's face.

"How...? That's a skintight swimsuit, and you were in the lake..."

She shrugged, picking out five cards to play. "That's a good question, and one I could never hope to answer. I try not to think too much about the sheer volume of items on my person anymore. What rules shall we play with?"

Gaia sat there for a moment, as if trying to process what she was just told. "... All Open, and after this first game, Random. It'll help keep things interesting. I'll go first, and we can switch every other game."

As the two began playing, Lily sifted through the many years of her life, searching for the appropriate place to begin her tale. "I suppose if I started from the very beginning, we would be here until nightfall. So I shall skip ahead a bit..."

Gaia shrugged and played her third card, taking the lead—seven to three. "Start wherever you please." Her disinterest was plain to see, but she soldiered on regardless.

"My life prior to my time with the Scion of the Seventh Dawn—Thancred and Urianger alongside their friends and many others—was prone to wanderlust. I met them when my journey took me to a city-state called Gridania, hidden away in the massive, towering forest known as the Black Shroud."

She stopped, looking over their makeshift board. Gaia's fifth card signaled the end of their game, with the score eight to two. "I seem to have lost."

Gaia picked up her cards, shuffled them into her deck, and drew five new ones. "I'm surprised you can play at all with the way you're carrying on."

"Mm..." After following suit, she continued her tale. "In Gridania I apprenticed myself to the Conjurer's Guild in the hopes of communing with the elements, and through them the land of my birth. It was not to be, but I grew into a modestly skilled healer nonetheless."

She sighed wistfully, thinking back on those days. The more she rose to the occasion, the harder it was to imagine ever going back to such a small and simple life. A part of her resented that, perhaps more so than the occasional indolence of her patrons.

Glancing at the board again, she picked up her cards. Another loss, leading right into another game. "My work in the field led to an encounter with a young woman named Lyse, though she called herself Yda at the time... as well as her friend Papalymo."

Gaia played her next card, her gaze still fixated on the board between them. "And who were they?"

"Members of the Scions, in fact. Though I doubt you will meet Lyse, and Papalymo is... he gave his life to save us all some time ago." She paused, recalling the summoning of Shinryu—Papalymo selflessly using his own life to stall its creation, and the senseless loss of life that led to it in the first place. "... But that is a story for another time. Following that first meeting, I was sent to Gridania's ally nations as an envoy. This mission took me to Limsa Lominsa, a city quite similar to Eulmore."

Gaia stopped, her fourth card hanging over the board, and she turned her head to look forward at her opponent. "What do you mean by that?"

Noting the newfound interest in the girl’s eyes, Lily continued. “Much like Eulmore, Limsa Lominsa is built on the coastline of an island, with similar architecture to boot. Though Limsa is much more expansive and productive, owing to the ambitions of her people and the general welfare of my world.” She closed her eyes, as if recalling an image straight from her memory. “Entire fleets of ships have been known to traffic through her harbor on some days, and peddlers and tradesmen ply their crafts in busy market streets from dawn to dusk. Though what passes for law and order in her waters is… sketchy at times, owing to many of its citizens being ‘former pirates’ of all things.”

"Pirates, really?" Gaia rolled her eyes, putting down her fifth card—and winning yet another game. "How could a lawless bunch like that run a nation? There'd be blood in the streets daily."

"You'd think so, yes. And on her worst days, sadly right." It was every bit as hard to believe for her the first time she'd heard it, too, and the city had plenty of its own troubles stemming from its unique origin. But bogging her story down with the myriad failings of Limsa Lominsa would diminish the tale with senseless meandering, and so she kept them to herself. "But so long as you kept your eyes open and your friends close, it was usually quite safe.”

Gaia turned her eyes back to the board. "I'll take your word for it. It's not like I could ever go there myself."

"Perhaps not. Who can say what the future will bring? If the opportunity rose, I would be happy to show you and Ryne my world." The attempt at reassurance was as much for herself as it was for Gaia. Another part of her wished, rather deeply, to never leave Norvrandt and the First. Yet that parting was inevitable, and fast approaching at that.

She paused once more, their fourth game having reached its conclusion. Another loss, this time seven to three. Once the fifth game had begun, she continued. "Anyways, it was there that I ran into a restaurant known as the Bismarck. It doubled as a guild for would-be culinarians, and I felt it would be wise to broaden my horizons a little. I applied there, and soon after secured a part-time job in the city as a catering chef. My growing skill turned me into a hot commodity for a while, and brought plenty of business to the Bismarck."

Gaia's gaze drifted over her body and to her eyes, as if she were appraising a jeweled ring or a painting. “Maybe I should hire you, then. I could use someone to prepare my meals for me.”

“I’d be happy to cook for you if I can find the time. It would be a welcome opportunity to deepen our friendship—a shortcut to your heart through your stomach, so to speak.” Lily had heard a saying along those lines before. But she’d realized too late that what they meant was something a little different, and she could only hope Gaia wouldn’t take them the wrong way.

Gaia's eyes narrowed, and it seemed she may very well have. After a moment of silence, she gave a wry smile. "You're not my type, sorry. So why'd you quit being a chef?"

She sighed. A bit of teasing at her poor word choice was a fair enough punishment. “Well, my time at the Bismarck—and my career as a chef—was cut short due to an… assassination plot. I was implicated in it and had to flee Eorzea for my own safety and to clear my name.”

"What, really?" Having concluded their fifth game with another win, Gaia set her cards down and adjusted her position, resting her hands and chin on the top of her peaked knees. "That's one hell of a twist. So who'd you kill, and how'd it happen?"

Somewhat miffed at the assumption of guilt, Lily felt the need to protest. "I was innocent, and the victim was Nanamo ul-Namo, the sultana of Ul'dah. She invited me to dine with her in private during a feast celebrating... well, I will digress severely if need be. But suffice to say that her wine had been poisoned, and I was made witness to her supposed death."

Gaia shrugged her shoulders. "Nanamo, Ul'dah. More names I'll never recognize. But from the sound of it, she didn't die."

"The sultana lived, yes, as the poison had been swapped out for a sleeping draught unbeknownst to her true killers. I was cleared of all charges once she awoke, though the scars of that incident linger still." Truth be told, it was a miracle that things turned out so well. But at the time it seemed to be the lowest point in her life. So many of her dearest allies had seemingly perished that day, and with the blame falling squarely on her shoulders, it was a struggle not to lose herself to despondency. If she didn’t need to be there for Alphinaud and Tataru, she may very well have.

Even now, she found herself growing lost in 'What Ifs' and 'Might Have Beens'. Could she have foiled the plot, and turned the tables on the Crystal Braves? Would Minfilia have been spared the fate Hydaelyn had in store for her? Would she even have set foot into Ishgard, if not for circumstance leaving her nowhere else to turn? It took the sound of Gaia clearing her throat to snap her back to reality.

"I get the feeling there's more to this story. And another story you've left out. How many does that make, four? Five? And how many stories would you have to leave out if I pried those out of you?" Gaia looked her over, then shook her head. "I think I'll pass. Not that I don't care, I mean, but storytime isn't really my idea of fun.”

“I don’t know, Gaia. I could listen to stories like this forever.”

They both turned their attention to Ryne, who was now laying on her belly, head propped up in her hands. Between the two, Gaia was the first to speak. “I thought you said you were taking a nap.”

“I was going to, but I wanted to hear the story first.” Ryne smiled sweetly. “Please continue.”

Lily nodded, pride welling within her chest. “Well, suffice to say that I have not had an opportunity to pursue a career in cooking since then. My duty to my benefactors belayed any self-interest, and my choice to stay with the Scions once the situation resolved has meant an ever increasing duty to our world. I can scarcely find the time to do anything for myself.”

Gaia looked her straight in the eye. “Sounds terrible to me. Is that why you wanted to take us all the way out here on a picnic?”

“That… is one reason, yes.” She motioned to the girls with open hands. “But one among many, and I assure you not all of them are so selfish.”

“I don’t think that’s selfish,” said Ryne, sitting up and stretching her arms. “Everyone could use a break from time to time.”

“I suppose so. And I can hardly complain regardless. The Scions have given me much: a home, a purpose, and a family most of all. I see each of them as I would a brother or sister, though they are many years junior to me.” Lily smiled wistfully, once more thinking back to simpler times. They may not have been the most glamorous, but the days leading up to that night in Ul’dah were some of the happiest in her lifetime.

Her daydreaming did not last long, however. Once more, Gaia spoke up. "How nice. I can't say they mean all that much to me, but they're not bad company to keep, at least. What about your real family?"

She closed her eyes, thinking back to her childhood years. They were not the most pleasant, and she had little interest in rambling for much longer, but she saw no reason to simply dodge the question. "I have no sisters and one brother, whom I have not seen since my father took him away. The both of them may yet live, but that was a lifetime ago. And my mother has been gone for nearly as long."

Gaia shifted uneasily, clearly uncomfortable. Yet when she spoke again it was in an even, almost lighthearted, tone. "So I guess that makes all three of us orphans. What an awful common ground to find."

Lily nodded, falling silent. She rarely dwelled on her youth, and for good reason. Within a year of her leaving Dalmasca it had already fallen to Garlemald’s IVth Legion. Her childhood friends had no doubt been conscripted or killed, and a far worse fate was in store for those who survived. For on her return to Rabanastre, whose alleys and sewers she once ran, she was mortified to see the city had been sacked. And it was not the uprising against Garlemald and the ensuing reprisal that left her streets empty that day. Suffice to say, there was no hope of reconnecting with that life.

And as for Golmore Jungle… well, she could scarcely recall anything from her time there. But perhaps that is why she yearned to return one day. And once she had—albeit in the hunt for the same unfathomable monster behind the horror of Rabanastre—that yearning became a dream. One day she would return there with her dearest friend back at her side.

It was impossible, of course. She knew it long before she watched that dream die in Amh Araeng. And she would begrudge no one for it, instead choosing to stay sturdy and strong, that her friends may lean on her in their own grief. She had plenty of practice by now.

Then there was the matter of Ryne’s parentage, or lack thereof. With no memory of her time before she became the latest in the line of Minfilia's reincarnations, whether or not her parents were still alive was anyone’s guess. And the man who was meant to be responsible for her upbringing, the steel-hearted and world weary Ranjit, had been more a jailer than a father to her. Even her birth name was lost to her, though Lily was no stranger to taking up a new name where and when it meant something special to her. Ryne, as it turned out, was every bit her new namesake: the faeries’ word for “Blessing”.

And finally, there was Gaia. Not unlike Ryne, she had almost no memory of her past. What little she knew of herself could only be verified through fact checking, and even that ran into some uncomfortable anecdotes. Not a single soul in Eulmore knew her, and she knew none of them. Yet it was beyond doubt that she must have lived there: Why else would all of her possessions be present? Even her name was a mystery: Granted to her by a mysterious voice in her own mind, 

"Um..." Ryne perked her head up, a confused look on her face. “You said the other Scions are younger than you.”

“I… yes, I believe I did.” She knew where this was going to go already, but was more than willing to allow it. Anything would be a welcome reprieve from dwelling on the dead left in her wake.

“You know,” Gaia interjected, a smile forming on her lips, “some women might take offense to this, but just how old are you?”

The answer came forth from her lips reflexively. "Twenty summers."

“That’s not much older than us, right Gaia?” The sight of Ryne’s smile, full of innocence as it was, warmed Lily’s heart. But it soon faded, replaced once more by visible confusion. It seemed she had already puzzled out the lie in the Viera’s words.

Gaia’s smile, by contrast, was anything but. "And how long have you been twenty?"

"For the past thirty summers."

The shock on Ryne’s face was plain to see—her wide eyes and agape mouth left Lily feeling somewhat embarrassed. She had definitely seen fifty summers in her lifetime, but she could hardly be blamed for feeling as young as she looked, right? She hoped so, at least.

"Amazing.” Gaia was still smirking, of course. That she was so amused by this only added to the Viera’s shame. “You're awfully spry for such an old woman."

She couldn’t help but laugh, nervous as it was. “Let us keep it a secret, please.”

“Beat me in Triple Triad, and maybe I will.”

Lily shook her head, sighing exaggeratedly. "I am not very good at this game."

"Care for a sixth?” Gaia picked up her cards, shuffling them into her deck and drawing five new ones. “Maybe you'll play better now that story time is over."

"Mm, alright." As she shuffled her own deck, realization struck her like Feo Ul with a very tiny mallet. "But we should be getting ready to leave after that. While I was by the lake, we received an invitation to Lyhe Ghiah, the castle above the lake. The King is not wont to be kept waiting."

***

The Regalia landed softly at the foot of the Old Earra Bridge. As the trio stepped foot on the winding brick stairway before them, a chill ran down Gaia's spine. She could feel the eyes upon them, but no matter where she looked, there was nobody there but her, Ryne, Lily, and two leafmen holding spears. It wasn't like this back where they'd had their picnic, or even down by the lake.

She cleared her throat, hoping to take her mind off the unsettling feeling. "Why'd we have to park all the way down here, anyways? And why the scenic route around the castle when it was right in front of us?"

"Titania was displeased with me the last time I drove the Regalia to their doorstep." Lily shuddered, as if recalling something terrifying. "They made me ride with them on a sightseeing tour all across Norvrandt."

Ryne looked up through the archway to the castle, a smile adorning her face. "That sounds like a pretty tame punishment, especially for a pixie."

"I was not the one driving."

The trio made their ascent. On their way up the stairway to Lyhe Ghiah, Gaia spotted many strange egg-shaped creatures with eyes the size of teacup saucers. Those that caught sight of the three girls stopped what they were doing to stare vacantly at them. _Bizarre creatures, and I don’t care for being stared at like that. But I doubt they’re the worst thing around here..._

After cresting the stairs and entering the courtyard of the castle grounds, Gaia turned her attention to the still and silent fountain between them and the castle itself. Peering into the waters, she saw herself. Her reflection, of course. But beyond that, she saw no less than six leafy green pixies floating lazily in the air, staring up—or rather down—at her. Ryne passed her by in the watery mirror, tailed by several more giggling pixies.

Just as she was about to turn around, a firm hand gripped her shoulder. Standing over her, Lily whispered in her ear. "Don't panic, but don't let your guard down. They won't make a move if they don't think they can get away with it." Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she nodded. "Good. Trust me, we won't have to deal with them soon."

She followed Lily closely, arriving at the towering double doors of the castle just after Ryne. As they stood there in uncomfortable silence, doubt began to creep into Gaia's thoughts. _Maybe dying isn’t so bad after all. It can’t be worse than what these pixies have planned for us._ "Knock or something. You know we can't just wait here forever."

Lily nodded, then gently rapped her knuckles upon the door. It was so quiet that Gaia could hardly even hear it, but the booming voice that followed made it abundantly clear that they had their host’s attention.

"If you touch so much as a hair on their little mortal heads, I'll plant each and every one of you in the ground and grow a forest over the burial site! Now bugger off with the lot of you, and you three! You may enter."

With that the double doors swung open of their own accord, and the sound of panicked pixies echoed into the distance as their would-be pursuers darted away. Lily stepped in first, and with the weight of fear off her shoulders Gaia was happy to follow suit.

Sunlight beamed through the stained glass windows in the massive foyer beyond, cutting bright holes along the walls and floor. On the far end of the room sat a massive staircase, splitting and curving up around the room to some unseen location. But what was more interesting was the unreasonably square indent set inside the floor, near the center of the room. Just from eyeballing it, she figured it must've been at least ten yalms long and wide.

As they approached the square, movement from above caught their eyes. A woman far larger than any of them, let alone a pixie, descended from above. Clad in an extravagant pink gown, with fiery orange-red hair and matching butterfly wings cascading down from her back, she was truly a marvelous sight to behold.

The quiet was finally shattered when the enormous faerie king flew close enough to rub under Lily’s chin with a finger. "Took you long enough to get here, didn't it? You could've just parked in the garden, you know!" Titania effortlessly scooped her up with one arm, sitting the Viis on it and pouting cutely at her.

Lily bowed her head apologetically, though Gaia could see the smile forming on her lips. "Forgive me, Feo Ul. I wished not to trample the flowers on my way in. The garden is looking rather lovely today, I might add." That apology earned her a pat on the head and her feet back on the ground, and with the two standing next to each other it was easy to see just how much the faerie king dwarfed them all.

"How thoughtful of you! You are forgiven, of course. But you must remember to call me the right name while in my domain. Now then, shall we begin?" Titania gestured to the massive square, as if the gesture alone communicated what was going on.

"Ah, I suppose you have invited up here for a little friendly sparring, then?"

Gaia looked up at Lily, shocked at the declaration. "We're to fight her? Are you insane?"

She would have continued, had she not been cut off—for a second time today—by laughter. "Heavens, no! Don't think the idea hadn't occurred to me, of course, but I play to win!" As if to demonstrate the intent behind that statement, Titania ran a finger across their own neck and grinned. "Besides, I have something much more interesting in mind for the three of you." With an echoing clap of the faerie king's hands, a pair of waist-high pedestals appeared on opposite sides of the square. "You're going to entertain me with a game of Triple Triad."

Ryne and Gaia stared at the pedestal, exchanged bemused glances, and shrugged. Then Ryne spoke up. "So which of us would you like to see play?"

"All of you, and also myself!" With the wave of their hand, Titania summoned up five cards from out of nowhere. "I would prefer it if my precious sapling was the first challenger, however." With that the faerie king flew back to the far side of the square, floating as if seated by the pedestal.

As Lily stepped forward and pulled out her cards, Gaia couldn't help but wonder how this would unfold. _How will they play if they've both got their own board? And why the giant platform in the middle?_ Her questions were soon answered when Titania played her first card, and the image of it appeared in the bottom space on the pedestal near to them. Immediately after, a figure emerged from glowing light on the square in roughly the same position.

It was a pixie of similar stature to Titania, though this new one had deep blue and green wings and long blonde hair in a billowy ponytail. Its expression was pure melancholy, though upon locking eyes with Lily it flashed a maniacal grin.

"Well, that's impressive." Gaia turned to look at Ryne, noting the shocked look on her face. "Is something wrong?"

"That's the old Titania!" Ryne looked back at her, seeming a little confused. "At least, I think it is. But the old Titania died, so..."

"It's probably an illusion, then. Like she turned the card into the real deal, but it's all just for show." Gaia turned back to watch the game unfold just as Lily played her own first card in the bottom-left corner.

Summoned forth in the square, right next to the illusory faerie king in, was a towering angelic figure she recognized from their time with Eden: Garuda. _So that's the original Garuda, then?_ Gaia thought, eyeing the menacing wind goddess. _Nice hips._

Having finished her arrival, Garuda turned to the old Titania, smiting her with a powerful gust of wind. Coinciding with this was the image of Titania’s card on Lily's board—along with the section of the square the old Titania stood upon—changing colors from blue to red.

From across the square, Titania smiled innocently and played another card, this one in the left position. A horrific pale monster with far too many teeth and arms the size of carriages rose from below. In a single blow it pounded Garuda into the ground just as the bottom-left position on their pedestal turned blue.

"Is the spectacle to your liking?" Titania let the question hang for a moment, grinning innocently. "I spent all afternoon coming up with the idea, but if you don't care for it we can just play it the normal way."

"I am having fun, at least." Lily turned to the two girls. "Ryne? Gaia?"

With a shrug of her shoulders, Gaia looked to the faerie king with a disinterested frown. "It seems like it'll just drag the game out forever to me. You can play a game of Triple Triad in well under a minute."

"Gaia has a good point, but we're only going to be playing a game each, right?" Ryne moved up to the square, leaning over a railing to admire the illusory figures. "And I think it's pretty cool to see your cards like this."

"That's two to one, so my little magic show stays put. Now then, don't you have a card to play, my adorable sapling?"

The rest of the game played out much the same way, with both combatants taking each others' last played card. Titania's cards were, as Ryne explained to Gaia, depictions of the now dead Lightwardens. Lily’s next card followed suit with Garuda: it was the original Ramuh in all his willowy bearded glory. But her third was a mystery to her and Ryne both: A hulking swordsman in azure armor with a nearly skeletal waist, wielding a sword every bit as huge as himself.

"That is Susano, Lord of the Revel. His mastery of water and lightning magicks, as well as sleight of hand, made him a difficult primal to take down." Lily motioned to him, smiling back at the two girls. "Full glad am I that we used Leviathan instead of him. I would never be able to get the laughter out of my head otherwise."

"O...kay." Gaia shrugged, turning back to watch the next Lightwarden appear in the predictable right hand spot. _They're both playing terribly. I'd say it was intentional, but this is actually pretty normal for our friend here. Maybe it’s the same for Titania, too._

Lily brought the match to a draw with her fourth card in the bottom-right corner—a gaunt demonic beast with curved horns and a domineering temperament. She turned to the girls, still smiling. "I know he looks quite different from the one we summoned with Eden, but this is the original Ifrit. The first primal I had ever fought, defeated while I was still a fledgling adventurer."

But there was one more space open, right in the center, and one more card to play. Titania played their fifth and final card, gloating in their singsong voice. "I believe this one secures my victory." The pedestal lit up—eight blue spaces and one red—to match what they said. But nothing appeared on the board, and when Gaia approached the pedestal to see what had been played, what she found was even more mystifying than Susano and Ifrit: The card the faerie king had played was blank.

She raised her head, scowling at their bemused opponent. "There's nothing on this card, not even numbers! How does that mean you win?"

The faerie king looked over at them, head cocked to one side. "It looks blank to you? Here, take a closer look. Sapling, catch!"

Lily perked her head up, catching the flung card in her hand. She flipped it over between her fingers, frowning. "It is definitely blank."

Gaia rolled her eyes, somewhat fed up with the faerie king's dramatic flair at this point. "Let me see that." But just as she tried to take it, her eyes widened at the sight unfolding before her. Ilm by ilm, her friend was rapidly sinking into the card.

She struggled, and even managed to start pulling herself back out of it. But her body began to shrink and, once her feet no longer touched the floor, Gaia could only watch in confused horror as her friend was swallowed up entirely.

Once the act was complete, the card drifted unceremoniously down to the floor. Ryne ran forward, pushing past Gaia and nearly tripping over herself in the process, to pick it up. "What was that just now? Did she really just get sucked into a card?" She turned it over in her hand, eyeing the front. "It's not blank anymore, either."

"Let me see." Gaia took the card from Ryne. On the front of the card was a familiar Viis clad in a black armored long coat. _I know that armor. I've seen it before, when..._ She winced, recalling glimpses of their first encounter. _My mind was not my own then, and I barely even remember it happening. But seeing her like this, it’s… a little unsettling._

Pushing the memories aside, she noted the numbers on the card. The top number was an A, and below that a nine. Sevens flanked the two on both sides. "Okay, I can see how you'd win with a card like this. I've never even seen a card this strong before." The card disappeared from her hand immediately as she said it. Clutching her fists tightly enough to hurt, she glared at Titania. "So what the hell is that, then? Just up and making your own damn card to win the game, and stealing your opponent to do it? That's not fair at all!"

The faerie king rolled their eyes. "Well, I suppose I did cheat a little. Tell you what—I'll play completely fair from now on. But that card belongs to me, and I'll be playing it in the next game. If you want it back, you'll have to beat me."

Still fuming, Gaia pulled the card tin out of her sleeve and was about to slam it down on the pedestal when Ryne caught her arm.

"Let me go first, Gaia." The look on her face was pleading, and it was hard to say no to her when she got like that. Even so, Gaia was too wound up to be reasonable. She stared Ryne straight in the eyes, gritting her teeth.

"I have to win this! We're not going to get her back otherwise!"

"We have to win this. Either of us. And look how angry you are right now." Ryne tried to draw her into a hug, but she pulled away. "Believe me, I'm upset too, but if you don’t calm down who knows how badly you'll play?"

Gaia waved wildly at the faerie king. "They’re terrible at this game!"

"Then let me play! If they’re so bad at this, I can probably beat them!"

There was a subtle gush of wind between the two girls, and before Gaia could turn to follow it, a giant hand firmly gripped her entire shoulder. From what little she could see with the titanic head of the faerie king between them, Ryne had met the same fate.

"You girls are being very disrespectful right now. I think we should just call it a day."

"NO!" They'd shouted it in unison, the sound echoing through the foyer. It was enough to shock Gaia out of her rage, at least for the moment. _Fine. Just don't lose, Ryne._

Taking the opportunity, Ryne proceeded to prostrate herself as best she could in Titania's unbreakable grip. "We're very sorry for our outburst, your majesty. Please allow us to play Triple Triad with you."

"Well, alright. But we can't keep having these interruptions. I'm a very busy king, you know."

As the faerie king returned to the other side of the square, Ryne stepped up to her pedestal. "I'll have to use Lily’s cards, since I don't own any myself. Is that okay?"

"Sure, sure. I believe you have to go first this round, so pick your cards and let's get playing!"

After picking her cards out, Ryne played her first one in the bottom-left position. The figure that appeared on the square was that of a Mystel, and one Gaia had never seen before. She looked to Ryne, who seemed confused in a very familiar way.

“Huh. Y’shtola really hasn’t changed much since this card was made, has she?”

Gaia shrugged. _So that’s one of the Scions, then?_ “Think she’s fifty summers old, too?”

“Maybe,” said Ryne, looking over the figure, “but I think we’ll be in trouble if we ask.”

With a confident smirk, Titania played their first card, Storge, directly right of Y’shtola. _The six at the top looks like a trap,_ Gaia thought. _If Ryne takes it, then there’s a safe spot for Lily to be played and Ryne will likely lose two cards..._

Much to Gaia’s relief, Ryne instead played her next card—an Elf-sized man in an unfamiliar robe and cowl—in the bottom-right position. Once more she looked to her friend, gauging her reaction. “So, whose card is this…?”

“Urianger. I wonder why he stopped wearing those goggles.”

“Wait, that’s Urianger?” Gaia did a double take, noting the eye-obscuring goggles and unmistakable facial hair. “You know, he looks better without them. And the cowl, too.”

“Agreed.”

Titania played their second card, Philia, in the left position, taking the Y’shtola card. “Looks like I’m in the lead now! If you don’t feel like playing seriously, maybe I should just add you to my collection right now, hmm?”

Gaia clenched her fists, anger rising back to the surface. _That was definitely bait. Ryne might be able to take the lead right now, but Lily will easily reverse it. Damn it, was that overgrown pixie just faking it in the first match?_

But when Ryne played her next card, it was in the top-left position instead. An icy, willowy elf appeared on the field, dressed in clothes reminiscent of the recently fought Shiva. With that move Eros was taken, and the score was tied once more.

Ryne held her hand to her chest, staring at the figure with clear admiration in her eyes. "I knew I recognized her," she began. "That's Ysayle, the woman who summoned Shiva. Isn't she beautiful?"

"So that's her, hm?" Gaia gave the figure of Ysayle a once over, then shook her head. "I guess so, but I think I prefer your Shiva to her."

“Hmph. Must the two of you banter every time she plays a card?” Visibly annoyed, Titania played their third card in the center of the board. A thick shadow formed on the center of the square, coalescing into the very same armored figure Gaia had seen on the formerly blank card. Held tightly in one hand was a massive greatsword, thicker and heavier than it had any right to be.

Gaia stood in awe at the Warrior of Darkness as she strode over to the gigantic Philia, tearing it asunder with a mighty swing of her blade. Of course, Philia simply reappeared after the fact, but the effect it had on her was all the same. _If she hadn’t been merciful, I’d be dead. Maybe neither of us would be here, enjoying the picnic she’d set aside time to plan for us. I guess I should be thankful, but…_

“Something’s wrong with her eyes.” Ryne pointed to the Warrior of Darkness. “They’re supposed to be blue, not… what color even is that?”

Gaia took a closer look. “I think that’s... gold. Does she wear contacts, or something?”

“What’re you two talking about?” The Pixie King flew over the square, resting in the air in front of the glowering Warrior of Darkness. “Huh, you’re right. I don’t know why she came out like this. No matter, it’s an easy fix.” They snapped their fingers, then grumbled. “I said, it’s an easy fix.” Another snap, and another grumble. “Stop being so stubborn and change your damned eyes! No, not like that! Ugh, I give up.”

Titania flew out of the way, giving the girls a clear view of the Warrior of Darkness. Her face was contorted into a mix of rage and agony, and her eyes glowed like a pair of bright red stars. She shifted into a crouching stance, as if ready to pounce at some unseen foe. _She’s looking right at us, though..._

“That’s creepy.” Gaia looked over to Ryne, frowning. “Is that normal for her?”

“No, but… I’ve seen her do it before. A few times, actually. She gets terribly strong when she does it.”

“Neat. So… what does it mean, exactly?” Just as she said it, the Warrior of Darkness slumped over. Rage and agony gave way to fatigue and the glow of her eyes faded, leaving them clear blue and vacant. “I guess it doesn’t last long, either?”

“Well, I never asked her.” Ryne turned back to the Pixie King. “Um, she’s not going to get off the board and try to fight us, is she?”

“Look,” said Titania, floating back off to their own pedestal, “That’s not really your friend. It’s an illusion shaped like her. So… sure, it can fight you, but I don’t want it to do that. It won’t ever do something I don’t want it to do.”

Gaia rolled her eyes. _So all that was just theatrics? I’m not sure I buy that._ "Ryne, isn’t it your turn?”

“Oh, right!” Ryne played her next card in the middle-right slot, and from there appeared a familiar Hume. Clad in an odd white vest with an even odder bandana serving as a makeshift eyepatch, he seemed much more like a cutthroat rogue than Gaia had expected.

“I can’t believe that’s Thancred.” Gaia watched with mild amusement as ‘Thancred’ made short work of the Warrior of Darkness. “He looks so much cooler like this.”

“Really?” Ryne looked up at the figure, apparently displeased. “I like him better the way I know him. This look doesn’t suit him at all.”

“You would think that, wouldn’t you?” Gaia sidled in close behind her. “He’s practically your father, right? Anyways, nice work.” _She may not have won the match yet, but still. Not bad for a beginner._

Ryne turned around, pulling Gaia into a tight hug. “I think I’ve really gotten the hang of playing, thanks to you!”

 _Ugh, she’s stronger than she looks. I can’t even move my arms..._ With no other recourse, Gaia simply took the hug with all the poise and grace she could muster. “You’re welcome, I guess…”

“Not that I don’t think this is adorable and wouldn’t want to keep watching,” Titania interrupted, impatiently tapping the floor with their foot, “but we’ve got a card game to finish. You can cuddle up to each other all you want when you leave.” They then played their fourth card—the former Titania—in the center-top position.

“Oh, sorry Titania!” Ryne let go of Gaia and looked at the board. Smiling, she played her final card in the top-right position. The figure that appeared on the square was unmistakable, even though it bore just a passing resemblance to Eden’s interpretation.

 _Shiva, of course. And look at that, Ryne won!_ Her anger had completely faded at this point, leaving only happiness. For this moment, For Ryne and her victory, and for Lily. “Well, that looks like a win to me. Hand her over, Titania.”

Once more, a subtle gust of wind blew between the two girls. Titania was already there, presenting her prize to Ryne. “Congratulations, little leaf. The card is yours.”

As Ryne gingerly took the card in hand, Gaia raised an eyebrow. _Hold on, something is wrong here._ “Turn her back to normal.”

Titania lowered their head to meet hers, grinning wickedly. “No. I promised to give the card back if I lost. If you want me to change her back… you need to win one more time. Lose, and I’ll make the most adorable card out of both of you. Deal?”

 _Winner takes all, huh? Like hells I would agree to that._ Gaia opened her mouth, ready to give voice to her thoughts. “I refuse-.”

“It’s a deal. I mean, so long as Gaia is okay with that.”

She turned her head to Ryne, bewildered. Despite the girl’s stern expression, there was an air of doubt about her. “Are you sure you want me to do this? I know I’ll win, but why risk the both of us?”

“Oh, um… that’s true. Titania, why not just take one of us if Gaia loses? I’ve already offered myself. Oh, and Gaia?” Ryne handed her the Warrior of Darkness card, smiling. “Since you’re the one playing, I want you to have Lily.”

“But I didn’t… fine.” Gaia accepted the card, picking out four more from her tin to complement it. “You heard the lady, Titania.”

Titania shrugged their shoulders. “Fine, fine.” With that they flew back to their pedestal, playing their first card in the bottom-center position. The creature that appeared was tremendous, taking up its entire square. It had altogether too many faces, and they were all together too human for such an inhuman beast. It opened its many mouths to speak, and Gaia was pulled to the floor by Ryne—narrowly avoiding a beam of light as it scored the wall behind them.

“Damn it, what is that thing?!” She could feel Ryne trembling next to her and, when she rolled to her feet, could see the fear in her eyes. “A-are you okay?”

“I’m… I’ll be fine. That, that thing… it’s called Therion. But only the Scions and I could have ever seen it, so how could anyone make a card of it?” She stood up and ran into the square. “Where did you get that card, Titania?”

“Hm, this old thing? I won it from an Ondo trader. I can’t say I approve of it destroying my castle, however! What say we dispense with the magic and just play cards?”

***

Gaia sat down, huddled over her end of Titania’s pedestal, the Faerie King’s shadow looming over her. _I miss the giant board already._ “So, that’s… three 9s and a 2. That’s a pretty strong card, huh?”

Titania patted her on the head with their giant-sized hand, much to her annoyance. “I figured since you were so confident you’d win, I should play my best cards.”

_So you were just screwing around before, then. Well, I can’t beat that at all, even with Lily…_

She played her first card, Formidable, in the bottom-right slot. _The eight on top should make it hard to take it, at least. I’ll just have to hope she slips up._

Titania followed suit with another card she’d never seen before—a strange blonde hume in a red dress. Played in the bottom-left position, it formed an unbreakable wall.

Shaking her head, Gaia looked through her remaining cards, trying to find the best one to play. _I’m in a tight spot now. Anything I play will be open on at least two fronts._ With no better option, she played the Warrior of Darkness in the center position.

“Ah-ah, you’re going to regret that!” Titania set down their third card to the left of Lily’s card, turning it blue. On this card was yet another mysterious hume, this one wearing all black with matching shaggy hair.

 _Damn it!_ Gaia clenched her fist. She played her next card—Innocence—immediately. As it touched down right of Lily and turned her card red again, cold realization struck her. _I can’t even win this, can I? She’s not going to misplay, not like with Ryne._

With a smug smile, Titania played their fourth card in the top-right slot. The monster depicted—some giant red demon—was once more beyond her ken, though the icon in the corner indicated it was a Primal. But what truly caught her attention was the card’s spread: An A on the left, making it unassailable.

The color steadily draining from her already pale face, Gaia looked over her last two cards: Huaca and Unknown. _No matter which one I play, it’s going to end in a draw at best. It’s better than losing, of course, and I’d better not take any chances..._ She played Huaca in the top-left spot, turning the black-haired Hume red.

Titania followed suit with their final card: a strange green woman. Sure enough, the Huaca card turned blue, leaving the score five to five. The Faerie King peered over the board, looking disappointed. “Huh, it’s a draw…”

“Yep.” Gaia took a deep breath, leaning back in her chair. “A draw.”

Ryne leaned over the board. She seemed every bit as confused as Gaia. “What happens now? Will you turn Lily back to normal?”

Titania shrugged, picking up their cards and disappearing them behind their own palm. “Nothing. But this is starting to get boring, so I’m calling it quits. The two of you are free to wander the castle if you’d like.”

“What?!” Gaia slammed her hands onto the pedestal. “We can’t stop now!”

“Gaia’s right!” Ryne motioned to the board. “If we stop playing now, what’s going to happen to Lily?”

“She’ll be a Triple Triad card for the rest of her days. Or until I decide to change her back.” The Faerie King motioned to the board. “Take care of her until then, would you?”

Gaia stared down at the Warrior of Darkness card. Lily’s face, impassive as usual, seemed as if it was looking right back up at her. Her shoulders sagged, the corners of her lips curled into a frown. _Don’t look at me like that. It’s your own damn fault for bringing us here. But still… I’m sorry I didn’t win. I’ll just have to… I don’t know…_

She took another deep breath. “Let me play just one more game. Same stakes as before, and if I draw again, we’ll take our leave.”

Titania looked down at her, her expression matching Gaia’s. Seconds passed, the silence weighing down on the already guilt-burdened girl, before the Faerie King summoned their cards once more. “Deal.”

The match that followed was no different, however. It became abundantly clear to Gaia that Titania had no intention of winning, but neither would they allow her to eke out a victory. _I don’t understand. What could you possibly be getting out of imprisoning Lily like this and then letting us have her?_ Having played her last card, she slumped over in her chair once more.

Ryne cupped her shoulder with one hand, drawing her attention up from the board and out of her thoughts. “We’ll think of something, Gaia. Urianger lived out here for years, and he knows more about pixie magic than anyone else I know. Maybe he can help.”

Nodding along, she collected her cards—Lily included—and put them in her tin. After slipping it back up her sleeve, she rose to her feet. “I guess we should just go home, then. Your place or mine?”

“I don’t care for Eulmore, but… well, you said there’s going to be a tournament there tomorrow, right? We could send for Urianger while it’s going on, and I’m sure Lily could help you win if…” Ryne suddenly lowered her head, looking somewhat ashamed. “N-never mind.”

She realized immediately what Ryne was getting at: Lily’s card was the best one she’d ever seen, and it would definitely give her an edge over the competition tomorrow. _I hadn’t even considered using her like that. Trying to win her freedom is one thing, but using her to win prize money?_ “It’s not a bad idea. Would she agree to it, though?”

Suddenly she felt the ground seemingly give way beneath her. Panic set in immediately, and she reached out to grab anything she could. It took gripping one of Titania’s hair tails in her hand before she realized what actually happened: She was sitting on the Faerie King’s shoulder.

“Hey, cut that out! And here I was, ready to do you a favor!”

Gaia took a moment to catch her breath and steady her nerves. “A favor?”

“Indeed, though quite a trivial one. You wish to have my sapling’s aid in a Triple Triad tournament, correct? I need only whisper the words and listen for her answer.” Titania then began to silently move their lips, pressing their ear against Gaia’s sleeve once finished. A moment later they pulled away, beaming a cute smile. “Congratulations, little leaf! She will serve you until morrow’s eve.”

Ryne clutched her hands to her chest, a look of relief on her face. “That’s wonderful! Maybe this will all work out after all.”

 _At least one of us is happy._ “Great. Could you let me down now?”

Pouting cutely, Titania set her down on the floor. “I was going to carry you girls out to the Regalia, but if you’d rather walk… oh, speaking of that, which of you will be driving?”

Gaia looked to Ryne, feeling somewhat bewildered. “I’ve never seen the Regalia before today. Can you drive, Ryne?”

“No, not at all.” Suddenly, Ryne’s eyes widened. “M-maybe we could walk?”

“Don’t be silly! Il Mheg is much too dangerous for mortals.” Titania patted the girls on their heads, an impish smile creeping across their face. “My subjects can do without me for a few hours, so why don’t I see you girls off to Eulmore personally?”

Shrugging her shoulders, Gaia acquiesced. “That works for me. I can’t imagine we’d make it out of here on foot, let alone in time for the tournament.” _And really, what could be so bad about letting her fly the Regalia?_

“Thank you, thank you. One small favor for another makes us even, then. I’ve been dying to get behind the wheel of that machine again.”

***

“Last stop, Eulmore! Mind the gap—it’s only a fulm or two—and have a good evening.”

Gaia stepped out onto the balcony of the Skyfront, then collapsed into a heap, happy to have a solid floor beneath her. _Never again. I’ll fight every damn pixie, fuath, and beaver in Il Mheg if I have to._

“Gaia!” Ryne leapt over the side of the Regalia, rushing to her aid. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll… *huff* I’ll be fine. I just need to rest for a moment.” She turned her head, glaring daggers at their grinning chauffeur. _If you weren’t a pixie, I’d… Well, none of this would be happening to begin with_. There was little point in holding a grudge, and so she relented. “I didn’t know the Regalia could fly that fast.”

“I didn’t know it could fly upside-down.” Ryne added, helping Gaia to her feet. “Goodbye, Titania! Thank you for the ride!”

“It was my pleasure, Ryne! Don’t be afraid to ask for my help if you need it.” With a wave and a smile, the Faerie King backed the Regalia away from the balcony before speeding off along the cloudy edge of the evening sky.

Once the Regalia disappeared from sight, Gaia let out a beleaguered sigh. “So glad that’s over. If I have to deal with another pixie, it’ll be too soon.”

“Mm… I wouldn’t say that,” Ryne replied. “I get the feeling we’re not done with them for a while. Anyways, where to first?”

Gaia took her hand, motioning forward with the other. “To the lift. I could use a hot soaking before anything else.” The duo made their way off the Skyfront, stopping as they entered the intersection between the Aetheryte Plaza and the Xylem Lift. “This way,” said Gaia, but as she moved toward the lift and its stalwart steward—an impeccably dressed and ever dour Elf named Lereberd—she found herself pulling on Ryne’s arm. “Is something wrong?” She asked, looking over her shoulder.

Ryne had stopped, looking down the stairwell to the Understory. “Wouldn’t it be faster to take the stairs?”

 _The private rooms can only be accessed by lift. Why would it be faster… oh._ “We’re not going to the Delousery. That’s for… well, whatever it’s for now, it’s not what I had in mind. My living area is on one of the higher floors, and comes with its own private bathroom.”

Moving along through the dimly lit corridor, they reached the Xylem Lift. Gaia looked up at the Elf, noting the peculiar expression on his face. _Is that recognition, disgust, or perhaps both? And which of us is it directed at, I wonder?_ “Lereberd, we’re going up. And this woman is a guest of mine, so keep that mouth of yours shut, would you?”

The shock on his face was priceless. As was the constrained anger as he gritted his teeth. _You get what you give, and that kind of lip is all you’ve given me since my… return… from the Empty._ With a sigh audible even from the far end of the plaza, Lereberd bowed his head and opened up the lift. “Very well… Gaia.”

Boarding the lift and making it to her living quarters took no time at all, and as the two entered, Gaia made a quick assessment of her belongings. The kitchen area was, as usual, so untouched that not even the dust was disturbed. _There’s nobody here to cook, after all._ The queen size bed was properly made, and her dressers were securely shut. The curtains for the far window were closed, just as she’d left them, and the planters along the windowsill were barren. _Haven’t planted anything in… in a long time._ And, of course, the door to her personal bathroom was wide open. _I live alone, so why bother shutting it?_

With a sigh of relief, Gaia let go of Ryne’s hand. “Make yourself at home, Ryne. I’ll be in my tub if you need me.”

After stepping into her bathroom, she hurried over to the stony round tub in the corner. Turning on the hot water faucet was all she needed to draw a bath, and with that out of the way she began to undress. It was only after she’d finished and folded her clothes to set upon the bathroom sink that she spotted Ryne in the mirror, peering nervously through the open doorway. Cocking an eyebrow at her peeping friend, she spoke. “Is something the matter?”

“Oh, no! I was just wondering if you needed any help.”

“Help. Taking a bath.”

Ryne stood there, hand clutched to her chest, as if in thought. “Well… your back might be hard to reach, and…”

Gaia stood up straight, marching over to the door. Just as she was barely within a fulm of Ryne, she stopped. _Oh gods, that smell. I hadn’t even noticed…_ “Ryne, take off your clothes.”

“P-pardon?”

“You need this bath as much as I do. Take ‘em off and get in here with me.”

  
  


***

  
  


It was not terribly long before the two of them settled into the bathtub. The water was perhaps too warm for her liking. But with Ryne sitting right behind her, diligently scrubbing her neck and shoulders, it was proving to be tolerable enough. She had, however, insisted upon Gaia turning her back while she undressed and got into the tub.

Not wanting to sit idly while her friend did all the work, she began to clean herself as well, building up a decent lather on her arms and chest. As she did, her thoughts turned to Eulmore and her place within its walls. But more than simply keeping it to herself, she felt the need for a second opinion.

“Are the accommodations to your liking, Ryne?”

Without so much as a break in her steady pace down Gaia’s back, Ryne answered. “It’s a lovely home, though it could use a few flowers in those empty pots.”

“Mm, I should get around to that, yes. I haven’t had much call for it until now. I’m worried I may not have the means to stay here, though.”

“Why do you worry about that?”

“Well as awful as he must have been,” Gaia began, slowing her own pace down her stomach to match Ryne’s, “life under Vauthry cost practically nothing. My parents left me a tidy sum with… well, their passing. But having to pay for amenities and meals has been eating through those funds faster than I’d expected.”

“All my needs are taken care of at the Crystarium, but that’s probably an exception they’ve made, like with Lily.” Ryne stopped, having just reached Gaia’s lower back. “Is the need for more money why you want to win the tournament tomorrow?”

“Of course. Don’t get me wrong: I enjoy Triple Triad enough to compete even if there was no prize. But I don’t really have any marketable talents. Because of that, my options for employment are pretty limited.” Smiling at Ryne from over her shoulder, she stopped washing herself. “Finished back there?”

Ryne smiled back, seeming more pleased with herself than Gaia was expecting. “Almost! I was wondering if you’d like me to wash your hair, too.”

“That… would be nice, actually.”

The gentle touch of Ryne’s fingers as they ran through her hair and scalp sent tingles down her spine. So pleasant was the sensation, she almost forgot the reason why she’d even been talking. _I guess I missed the chance to bring it up._ The sound of Ryne’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

“What jobs have you been looking into?”

 _… Okay, can you read minds, Ryne?_ She cleared her throat, trying to sound confident. “Well, two came to mind. First, I was thinking of signing up with Mowen.”

“Is Mowen from Eulmore?”

“Ah, you don’t know her. Mowen runs the Boutique of Splendors. It’s a fairly successful trading business here in Eulmore. She has plans of expanding beyond the scope of the city, though, and there’s room for employment there.” _Without any tradeskills of my own, though, I’d have to compete with other prospects to get in with her._

“So you want to be a… trader?”

“I… don’t know, actually. I was thinking I could land a… management job? Managing a stall, at least.” _So much for confidence, Gaia..._

Ryne began to work her scalp, rubbing it so softly that it almost tickled. “I could see that working out for you. Anything else?”

“Hmm… well,” Gaia began, “there’s also the Beehive. It’s a… nightclub, I suppose? They serve food and drink, and there’s plenty of entertainment to be had. You can really while the hours away there if you’ve nothing better to do.”

“I’ve never been there before, but it sounds pretty nice.”

 _And here’s an opportunity I have to seize._ “In that case, why don’t I treat you to dinner there tonight?”

“Thank you, Gaia! Oh, but I’d need to wash my clothes first…”

“You can borrow one of my outfits.” _They should fit her well enough, at least._ “Hm, I’ll need to fix my makeup before we go, though. Shouldn’t take too long.”

“Could you teach me how to do that?”  
  
“What, put on makeup? You don’t need-.” She stopped herself immediately, her face flushed red. _Don’t... don’t pull a Lily and accidentally flirt with her, Gaia._ “W-ell, sure. Just make sure you don’t fidget while I apply it, okay?”

“Thank you so much! Hehe, this is so exciting!” Ryne wrung her hair, putting just enough pressure to squeeze out the water without pulling it. “Oh, and I’m finished with your hair. I can start washing my own back if you want to dry off first.”

“The water is starting to get tepid… but I can handle it for a while longer. Turn around, Ryne.”

  
  


***

  
  


Gaia led Ryne through the gold and ivory double doors of the Beehive. The sound of music and singing pervaded the air, and she found herself humming along with the vocalist. _I didn’t know they even had a singer, and such a good one at that. Maybe they’ll want to hire more._ She turned to Ryne, eager to see her reaction. Instead, she caught a glimpse of her friend tripping over her own feet. She threw herself into position immediately, catching the poor girl in her arms.

“Whew… thank you, Gaia.” Ryne straightened herself up, pouting as she looked down at her feet. “How do you walk in these giant heels so easily?”

Taking in the entirety of her friend, from the platform heels to the astonishingly well-fitting dress and finally her tastefully applied lipstick and eye shadow, Gaia couldn’t help but smile. _I was wrong. You look even better dolled up like this._ “Lots of practice. Keep wearing them and you’ll get so used to walking that it’ll feel weird to have them off.”

It was not long before the two were seated—a table right near the entrance, overlooking the stage at the end of the room, had just opened up. As she sat down, Gaia turned to the waiter who led them to their table: A Galdjent of respectable physique and manners. He presented her and Ryne with a menu, detailing the variety of foodstuffs available for purchase. “What will you young ladies have to order tonight?”

It didn’t take long for Gaia to find something appealing to her palette. “I’ll be ordering the Risotto al Nero.” She passed the menu over to Ryne, then added, “And a bottle of wine, please.”

The waiter looked down at her, one eyebrow raised in a skeptical manner. “Aren’t you a little young to be drinking, miss?”

She crossed her arms, sighing. _Damn it. What does age have to do with drinking alcohol, anyways?_ “Fine, forget the wine.”

“I’m not sure what all of this is.” Ryne set down the menu, looking somewhat bewildered. “Can I just order the same thing as her?”

“Two orders of Risotto al Nero, then.” With that the Galdjent took back the menu and withdrew from the table, leaving the girls as alone as they could be in such a lively establishment.

Gaia turned her attention back to Ryne. “Enjoying the Beehive? I haven’t had much opportunity to come, but I like it here.”

“It’s… not what I was expecting.” Ryne shifted her posture a bit, looking somewhat embarrassed.

“Well, that’s fine, isn’t it?” She tried to smile reassuringly. “Sometimes the best things in life are unexpected.” _And the worst, and the most average. What a vapid thing to say, Gaia. You can do better than that..._

“Maybe you’re right. It’s all a little too flashy for me and the music is pretty loud, but I think I can get used to it.”

“Oh. Um, that’s a good outlook to have.”

The stage at the back of the Beehive caught Ryne’s attention. Staring at the costumes of the dancers and their suggestive movement, she began to blush.

Following her gaze, it did not take long for Gaia to see what had gotten her so flustered. “I see you’ve noticed the honeybees.”

“A-are you sure you want to work here? Having to dress like that, it’s… so revealing…”

Gaia shrugged her shoulders. _Not something I expected you to worry about. Maybe that’s just Thancred speaking._ “I wouldn’t have to be a honeybee, I don’t think. They could probably use more waiters or another bartender for a different shift. And I’ve heard the Queen Bee treats his employees well, so working here seems pretty ideal to me no matter where I end up.”

“Well, if it’s what you’d like, then you should go for it.” Despite her approval, there was an unmistakable air of hesitance in Ryne’s words. “And maybe I’d get used to this place a lot faster if I had a friend working here.”

Gaia lowered her head and shut her eyes, watching the scene play out in her mind. _Ryne, coming to the Beehive on her own. To watch me… dance or sing. I can take it, I can take it..._

The sound of approaching footsteps pulled her out of her thoughts, and she watched in mild annoyance as the Galdjent waiter placed two bowls onto the table, one in front of each of them. “Your order is served. I’ll be around again soon if you need anything else.”

 _Well, I can daydream later, or try to make it come true. For now, dinner._ Just as she was about to dig in, however, she caught the look of disgust on Ryne’s face. “Is something wrong?“

“Why is it all so black? It’s a little… weird.” Ryne poked the mass of ink-stained rice with her fork, as if she was afraid of it.

“They use squid ink to flavor the rice, which is why it looks so peculiar.” When that failed to convince her, Gaia sighed and shook her head. “Try some before judging it, alright? You won’t really know you hate it until you’ve had a taste.”

“Okay…” Scooping up some of the rice and bits of parsley and tomato on her fork, Ryne brought it to her mouth and stuck it inside, taking care not to smear her lipstick as she did. Slowly she began to chew it, but the look in her eyes told Gaia everything she needed to know. As she swallowed the rice, she smiled brightly, prompting a chuckle from Gaia. “This is wonderful!”

“See?” Satisfied that Ryne was won over, she began to eat her own risotto, savoring every bite for as long as she could. _The risotto here is always good enough to eat. Not as good as the meal Lily made for us, but… hm. I almost forgot about her. How is she holding up right now, trapped in that card? Unable to move or speak… I know all too well what that feeling is like. Can she even hear us talk? And for that matter..._ “... I wonder if Titania was telling the truth.”

“About what?”

 _Damn, did I just say that out loud? And in the middle of a dinner date, no less._ Gaia cleared her throat, looking Ryne in the eyes. “Sorry. I was just… thinking out loud. Well, it’s about how they asked for Lily’s permission to be… used tomorrow. Do you think they were just trying to make me feel okay with it?”

“Not at all,” said Ryne, setting her fork down. “Though they didn’t ask, either.”

That answer, stated so matter of factly, left Gaia bewildered. “Pardon?”

“Titania ordered Lily to aid you in tomorrow’s tournament. Once the tournament is over, so is her ‘punishment’, as they put it.”

 _Disappointing, but I guess I’m not surprised. Still, that just raises another question._ “How do you know this, Ryne?”

Ryne seemed surprised by the question, lowering her head and clutching her hand to her chest. After a second or two of silence, she answered. “They didn’t speak the words aloud, but I understood them by watching their lips. It’s... something Thancred taught me while we journeyed together.”

 _Whether or not that’s true, I guess I believe her about Titania._ Shrugging her shoulders, Gaia decided to move ahead. “Mystery solved. I guess that’s confirmation enough that their challenge was rigged.”

Ryne nodded, a look of displeasure adorning her face. “It seems like it. I was really happy that I’d won that game, too.” She began to stir the leftover rice in her bowl, though she never stopped to eat any. Sighing, she continued. “I think they really just wanted us to have Lily’s card. But why punish her at all?”

 _Who knows with pixies? Maybe they were insulted by the color of her dress. But, no, Lily seemed familiar with Titania. Even comfortable. It must be..._ Realization struck her. _Il Mheg is a dangerous place for mortals_. Letting her fork slide into the bowl of rice before her, she gave voice to her thoughts. “Do you think it was the picnic? That this punishment is Titania’s way of looking out for us?”

“I hope not. I had a really good time with you and Lily. She wanted to go on another picnic with us soon, too.”

Gaia leaned back in her chair, smiling wistfully. “I did too, Ryne, and despite myself at that. Another picnic, though? We should choose somewhere safer next time. If you’d like to go swimming, the Source in Lakeland would be nice.”

“That sounds like a good idea to me. Or maybe the Rak’tika Greatwood? I’ve heard Lily talk about a secret watering hole up in the canopy before, and…”

Gaia shook her head, though inwardly she was smiling. “Ryne, we’re trying to minimize the danger to us.” _But if we do end up going there, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it anyways._ “But maybe we ought to save the planning for later. Right now, we should just enjoy the ambience.”

With a smile and a nod, Ryne returned to her risotto. Gaia did much the same, slowly eating and savoring both it and the Beehive’s entertainment. With Ryne by her side, and on their first date no less, she wanted nothing more than for this moment to last forever. _But the world moves forward regardless of my wont. All I can do is enjoy moments like this while I still have the time..._

“Excuse me, madam.”

Irritated, she turned her attention to the source of the interruption: The selfsame Galdjent waiter from before. “Yes?”

If the man knew he was bothering her, he made no indication of it. “Apologies for taking so long. Will you be ordering anything else?”

“No. Ryne?”

Ryne yawned, then shook her head. “I’m good, thank you.”

Stifling a yawn herself, Gaia looked up at the Galdjent waiter. “In that case, I think we’ll be leaving soon. Bring us the bill and we’ll be out of here when I’ve paid up.”

  
***

The trip back to her private room was uneventful, save for another tripping incident. After closing the door behind them, Gaia guided Ryne by hand to her dining table to sit.

“Thank you for dinner.” Ryne began, removing her borrowed shoes and setting them on the floor. “And for the clothes, too. They’re much comfier than I expected.”

Smiling, Gaia made her way into the long neglected kitchen. “If you like my outfit that much, maybe I should let you keep it. It’ll give you a bit more variety in your wardrobe.” Taking out a clean washcloth from one of the drawers, she began the tedious process of cleaning off the dust. “Speaking of which, if you plan to go to bed now, I should have some spare sleepwear in one of the dressers. You can keep whatever you’d like from there, too.”

From the corner of her eye, Gaia saw the way Ryne’s face lit up. She hurried over to the dresser, searching its contents for sleepwear. Once she’d procured a knee-length chemise, she held the folded garment in her arms and smiled back at her. “Do you mind if I change in the bathroom?”

“Of course not. Fair warning, though, I’ll be in there shortly to brush my hair while the water’s boiling for tea.” _I’d prefer coffee, but at this hour it would only make it harder to sleep._

It was not long before she’d found and cleaned out her tea kettle, and once it was filled and set to boil on the stove, she was free to change her own clothes. That hadn’t taken long, either, though she had carelessly discarded her clothes onto the floor to speed things up. With ample enough time to spare, she made her way to the bathroom, where Ryne—having changed into her chemise—was brushing her own hair in front of the bathroom mirror.

“You look cute in that, Ryne. Room for one more?” That elicited a giggle from Ryne and, once she stepped aside, Gaia took her place next to her. Pulling a spare brush out from its drawer, she began to quietly work through her own hair. Once more, time seemed to move all too quickly for her. Before she could even finish, the sound of her tea kettle whistling pulled her away.

Leaving Ryne behind, she hurried to the stove, tending to the boiling water. As she did, her countenance darkened. _I wonder, just how much time left do we really have?_  
  


***

  
  


The night came and went, as did the morning after. With the sun high above the city of Eulmore, the Triple Triad tournament was on. Held in the Joyous Hall, there were no less than thirty competitors. As a standard round of Triple Triad was all too short on its own, each match was to be best of three, with the final match being best of five instead. And in the event of a Draw, the game would go on into Sudden Death.

As she stood on the sidelines of the Joyous Hall, Gaia felt little in the way of anxiety or fear. This was not like in Lyhe Ghiah, where her life and that of her friends had seemingly been on the line. This was just an ordinary tournament, with an ordinary prize of coin for the victor. And though she would have to play five matches instead of four, owing to common luck with seeding, she had no doubt she would win every last one of them.

And win, she did. Game after game, match after match, she defeated her opponents with skill and strategy, until at long last she sat across from her final opponent. Clad in her usual turquoise bustle, the lilac-haired Tista-Bie gave her a friendly smile.

“Fancy seeing you out and about at this hour, child. I thought I had you pegged as a night person.”

Gaia set her card tin on the table between them. “The same could be said of you. Can we cut the small talk? I’d like to get this over with quickly.”

“My my, so forward! Well then, let’s cut to the chase.” Tista-Bie leaned forward, fixating on Gaia with glittering eyes. “I have a ‘proposition’ for you, if you don’t mind. Would you kindly spread those cards of yours on the table for me?”

 _Coming on a bit strong there, Tista._ Shrugging her shoulders, Gaia did as asked. Once the cards were on the table, she watched as the Mystel picked out one in particular: The Warrior of Darkness.

“I’ve seen you play this lovely card quite a bit today. I’ll not mince words: I’m actually quite jealous to not own it myself. You know who this artwork depicts, correct?”

“The Warrior of Darkness. I’m well aware of her reputation, yes.”

“Oho, you don’t say? Well, I had met her before all that. She was one of the Bonded here in Eulmore at the time, but I took quite a liking to her. Had she not gone and gotten herself expelled from the city, I had plans to… well, I digress. I would like to have this card as a memory of her.” Handing the card back to Gaia, Tista-Bie straightened her posture and steepled her fingers on the table. “Would you care to wager it? No price is too high for such a rarity, but I'll throw in coin equal to the pot if you do.”

 _Lily was one of the Bonded, hm? Now there’s a story I’d love to hear._ “Sorry, I’d rather not.”

Though it was clear in the shift of her posture that Tista-Bie was miffed by her rejection, the Mystel made a good show of amicability. “So be it, my friend. Let us play our match out.”

The match went on without further delay. Though she was head and shoulders above the rest of the competition, Gaia found herself adequately challenged by Tista-Bie. Between her collection of cards and wit as sharp as her eyes, she pushed more than a few rounds into Sudden Death. By the time they’d played thirteen full rounds, each woman had only claimed victory twice. So it was that the match ended in its fourteenth round, and though Gaia had every intention of winning, in the end a single mistake cost her the match.

Sitting back in her chair, she took a deep breath. Then she raised her hands above the table, in clear view of everyone gathered around the table, and began to clap. “Congratulations, Tista.”

Tista-Bie beamed a proud grin as applause erupted throughout the Joyous Hall. When at last the uproar died down, Gaia gathered up her cards and stood up to leave. But before she could make her way to the Crown Lift, the Mystel grabbed her by the shoulder.

“Slow down there, my friend. I know you turned down my first offer, but perhaps you’ll be open to another? Today’s winnings for the card of my lovely little drone. You’ll go home with the prize you seek, and I will have mine.”

 _What a sorely tempting offer, and all I need to do is sell my friend to a lusty Mystel._ She shivered uncomfortably at the thought. “Sorry again, Tista. I won’t take your offer.”

Visibly confused, Tista-Bie released her grip on Gaia’s shoulder. “Surely you could make good use of the money. Just how much could that card be worth to you?”

 _I hope to whatever gods may be that you can’t hear this, Lily._ “The card is priceless to me, for the Warrior of Darkness is not just the savior of Norvrandt. She’s my friend.” It took every onze of strength in her body to keep a straight face. _It’s true, of course. But saying it out loud where people can hear me?_

Tista-Bie reeled back in surprise, her ears turning back as she bowed her head. “Ah. Well, I didn’t know you had… I mean… my apologies for being so… aggressive with you. Have a pleasant afternoon, Gaia.”

  
  


***

  
  


With a pair of quiet clicks, Gaia slipped through the door to her private room door and shut it behind her. Looking up at the dining table, she was not terribly surprised to see Ryne—her guest was another matter entirely. A pixie clad in autumn hues, with fiery orange-red pigtails, was chatting away with her on the table itself. Something about the sight was familiar to her, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on why.

The pixie broke off their conversation with a glance in her direction, waving her in with a smile. “Took your sweet time coming back here. Did you double back to the stairs, or just stop for a drink at the Grand Dame’s?”

An icy chill ran down Gaia’s spine as she realized just who the pixie was. “Titania?”

Rolling their eyes, they once more beckoned her closer. “Yes, yes. But right now, you may call me Feo Ul. Ryne and I witnessed the tournament. A pity how it ended, but such is life.”

Ryne nodded. “It’s okay, Gaia. I’d be happy to help you get a place at the Crystarium. I’m sure Lily would do the same.”

 _I guess I don’t have to explain how I choked after thirteen rounds in a five round match._ Gaia approached the unlikely pair, plopping down in the chair next to Ryne. “Thank you, Ryne.” Turning to look at Feo Ul, she sighed. “I’ve got a good idea as to why you’re here, but let’s hear it.”

Ryne interjected, a worried look about her face. “Gaia, please don’t-.” However, she was cut short by the diminutive hand of Feo Ul.

“After what I’ve put you girls through, it would be terribly unfair to deny you a little sass today. Now, why did I come here…?” The pixie began to pace about the table, as if in thought, before snapping their fingers. “I’m here to honor my deal to Lily. Ryne’s already grilled me on lying about the terms, but I’ve got an apology ready if you want it.”

 _Thank you, Ryne. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to pry one out of them._ “What’s done is done.” Gaia dug the card tin out from the confines of her sleeve and set it on the table. Popping it open, she drew the Warrior of Darkness card and set it face up before the pixie’s feet. “Before you do anything, I want to know why you saw fit to punish Lily.”

“Well,” Feo Ul began, kneeling down before the card and placing their tiny hands upon it, “my adorable sapling had some mixed feelings on her relationship to you girls. She wanted to share in your time together, but also wanted to keep her distance out of fear of intruding on that time.”

Gaia looked to Ryne skeptically, who gave a quiet nod. “Well, that’s just normal. I figured this had something to do with bringing us to Il Mheg for a picnic.”

“That is exactly what this is about.” Feo Ul stuck both of their hands into the card, sending ripples across its surface. “In her haste to satisfy both wants, she brought two mortals to Il Mheg and then left them to their own devices. I know the two of you can handle yourselves, but I had to do a lot of wing and legwork to keep the pests and pranksters from spoiling your fun—to say nothing of your lives.”

“Thank you, Feo Ul.” Ryne bowed her head, making it hard for Gaia to gauge her reaction. “We had a wonderful time yesterday, especially once Lily returned to us.”

“Don’t think I can’t tell what you’re getting at.” The pixie grunted, bracing against the table before slipping their arms deeper inside the card. “You girls were worried sick about her, I know. For what it’s worth, I’d have just given her a stern talking to if I couldn’t make an object lesson out of it. Or if I couldn’t remove her from the object after the lesson.”

Gaia watched with a mix of amusement and concern as Feo Ul retreated from the card, wiping the sweat from their brow. “You can get her out of there, can’t you?”

“I won’t lie,” Feo Ul began, taking wing over the card and bobbing in place. “She’s deep in there. I didn’t even know it was that deep in the first place—now I feel kinda silly about what else I did to put her in there.” Glancing over at Gaia, they suddenly smiled. “You’ve got nice, long arms. Why don’t you give it a try?”

“I am not sticking my hand into a Triple Triad card.” _What a rare sentence that one was._

“Well, if not you, then…” Feo Ul flipped and turned in the air, pointing at Ryne instead. “How about you?”

Ryne nodded. “I’ll do it, then.” Taking a deep breath, she rolled up the sleeve of her loaned dress and gingerly dipped her fingers into the card. “It’s like touching water.”

Gaia watched with morbid curiosity as Ryne plunged deeper and deeper into the card, stopping only once she was halfway up past her elbow to her shoulder. “Find anything?”

“Yes, but…” Ryne frowned, her brow knitted in bewilderment. “It’s about the size and shape of a small doll.”

“What would a doll be doing in…” Gaia stopped, noting the suspicious grin creeping up on Feo Ul’s face. _What the hells is so funny?_ “Ryne, pull it out of there so we can take a look.”

“R-right…” Ryne effortlessly slipped her arm back out, producing her hand and, gently grasped within her fingers, a sleeping Viis with long, flowing white hair. Her eyes lit up at the sight. “Aww! She’s adorable, Gaia.”

“What.” Bewildered, Gaia leaned in close to get a better look. The Viis was absolutely tiny. By her estimation, she couldn’t be more than six ilms tall. Yet Lily’s face was unmistakable, as was her familiar draped gown. “Yes, that’s her. What?”

“I can explain.” Feo Ul flew in close to Ryne’s hand, brandishing a tiny string and tying Lily’s hair into a ponytail. “I didn’t think she’d fit into the card when I made it, so when it came time to trap her inside…”

“I get it.” Gaia sat back in her chair, breathing a sigh of relief. _At least she’s not alone anymore._ “So, how long will she be like this?”

“Oh, it won’t wear off on its own. I’ll have to restore her proper stature.” Feo Ul motioned to Ryne, then cracked their little knuckles. “Set her down in the center of the table, would you? It might flip over if we do this anywhere else.”

However, Ryne’s hand did not budge. “Do we have to change her back right now?”

“No, but I do have errands to run and duties to attend to. I can’t just leave her like this.” Suddenly, Feo Ul grinned in a familiar fashion. “Unless you’re offering to keep an eye on her.”

 _Please don’t encourage the pixie, Ryne…_ “Before we do anything else, let’s wake her up.” Gaia moved her hand close to Ryne’s, and snapped her fingers twice. _That should do it, I hope._

With a yawn far too loud for such a tiny figure, Lily opened her eyes. After squirming for a moment, she turned to look at the hand gripping her, following it all the way up to the smiling face of Ryne. “Hello, Ryne. Does Gaia know you’re wearing her dress?” Her reaction elicited a blank stare from Gaia, and giggles from Ryne and Feo Ul.

Smiling even sweeter than usual, Ryne patted Lily on the head. “She does. Good afternoon, Lily.”

With another yawn, the Viis spoke again. “Would you put me down? I’d like to stretch my legs a bit.” Once Ryne put her down, she began to stretch, then switched into a light exercise routine.

 _Okay, this is getting ridiculous._ Gaia tapped the tiny Viis on the shoulder as gently as she could. “How are you being so calm about this? I’d be terrified if this happened to me!”

“This has happened to me before, though under circumstances not to be shared in polite company.” Lily’s stomach growled. “But if you want to hear that story, I don’t mind sharing it over a snack. I haven’t eaten since the picnic...”

With a subtle gust of wind, Feo Ul snatched Lily up into their arms. “Hold that thought for a minute, my adorable sapling. I’ve got to undo this little problem of yours. But before that, what do you plan on doing once I restore your form to its natural state?”

With an audible gasp, Lily shouted the pixie’s name. “Feo Ul!” Her surprise was short-lived, however. “I am truly sorry, I hadn’t noticed you. Hm, I assume I’ve only been out of the action for a day. I still have business with Kai-Shirr at the Beehive this week, and I haven’t gotten to my weekly sweep through Norvrandt.”

The sudden frown on the pixie’s face told Gaia exactly where this was going. “Refresh my memory. That’s when you charge fearlessly into the most dangerous and notorious monsters alive, until you’re so tired after hours of nonstop battle that you collapse in front of the Crystarium’s aetheryte in a puddle of everything else’s blood, yes? Following which the Exarch complains to me about the clean up?”

Gaia rolled her eyes. _That’s got to be an exaggeration at best._

“Er, yes? I didn’t know he did that. Well, I suppose I can try to squeeze a quick bath in when I’ve finished.” With a friendly smile, Lily looked up into the pixie’s eyes. “May I have my form restored now?”

“Well, since you asked nicely…” Feo Ul unceremoniously dropped Lily onto the table. “Ryne, Gaia, how do you vote?”

“Oof! Wait, why...”

“I’d like it if she stayed like this for a while longer. Perhaps a day or two?” Ryne looked down at the bewildered Viis, beaming brightly. “She could use a break, and I’d be happy to look out for her.”

 _Hold on, that spiel about hunting monsters and getting soaked in blood was the truth? That’s… well, never mind..._ Gaia cleared her throat, motioning to her friend. “I’m with Ryne. We’ve been talking about having another picnic soon, and I can’t think of a better way to make sure Lily attends.”

Lily stood up to protest, but was silenced as Feo Ul slipped a finger over her mouth. “Sorry, sapling! It’s three to one, so it looks like I’m extending your punishment a few more days. Now then, I’m a very busy pixie these days, so I shall take my leave.” They fluttered over to the window and opened it, then looked back over their shoulder. “Oh, and don’t worry about the Regalia. It’s stowed away safely at the Crystarium. Goodbye, my friends!”

As Feo Ul departed, Lily rushed to the edge of the table. “Feo Ul, come back!” She dropped to her knees, hands clasped before her chest. “O loveliest of branches, please come back?” 

Gaia watched as the tiny Viis continued her sad display. _I feel a little sorry for her. We’ll just have to make up for this, somehow._ “I doubt they’re coming back anytime soon.”

Pushing her chair back to stand up, Ryne moved in close to Lily and kneeled down in front of her. “It’ll be alright, Lily. Gaia and I will watch over you.” She reached up to pat Lily on the head once more, prompting a sigh from the tiny Viis.

”Thank you, Ryne.” Lily stood up, hugging one of Ryne's fingers, much to the girl's delight. “I shall try to make the best of this. Did you girls have anywhere in mind for the next picnic?”

“Hehe, Gaia and I talked about that last night, and she had a pretty good suggestion.” Ryne slipped her free hand under Lily’s legs, letting her sit on her palm. “Why not the Source? We could all go swimming together, too.” 

“Hm… I believe I promised you a bathing suit for that. And we will have to go shopping for ingredients for cooking, as the ones I’m carrying right now could never hope to satisfy a growing girl’s appetite, to say nothing of two…”

“Wait,” Gaia began, “how are you going to cook for us like this? You’d probably fall into your own frying pan, if not the fire.”

Letting go of Ryne’s finger, Lily lowered her head in thought. “That would be a terrible fate. It would be difficult, yes… at this size, even a chopping knife would be arduous to carry.” Suddenly she snapped her fingers, looking up at Ryne. “Would you girls care to handle the cooking? I will provide instruction and supervision where needed, of course.”

Ryne beamed with delight. “I’d love to! And you, Gaia?”

“I mean, I’ll try, but aside from coffee and tea I’ve never cooked before.” _If I can pick up anything from this, it’ll be worth it just to be able to cook my own meals._ “So, any venue in particular that interests you, or…?”

As Ryne made her way back to her seat, Lily raised a finger, smiling brightly. “Perhaps the Isle of Ken? I shall have to request permission from Bismarck—perhaps with Urianger’s aid—but I believe he will agree to let us dine upon his back.”

“Oh, that’s a wonderful idea!”

“Hold it, is this island alive or something?” Gaia leaned in close, frowning at the tiny Viis. “This won’t be dangerous, will it?”

“Not at all. Bismarck is quite taciturn, and unlikely to do us any harm.” Lily motioned to Ryne. “Ryne can attest to that, if my word is not enough.”

“No, no. I believe you.” Leaning back in her chair, Gaia took a deep breath. _I just hope this doesn’t prove to be a repeat of Il Mheg._ “We’ve got some time before the next airship leaves for the Crystarium, so how about that story, Lily?”

“I believe I requested snacks in exchange for this one.”

Gaia rolled her eyes. “Right, fine.” Standing up, she began to make her way to the kitchen area. “Just start whenever you feel like it. I’m sure I’ll find something edible soon.”

After setting her down on the table, Ryne folded her hands on her lap. “So, you said this happened to you before, right? Being tiny, I mean.”

“Indeed. It is something of a long tale—and the bit we’re talking about is really inconsequential to it—but I will start from the beginning. You see, it is also the tale of how I met our dear friend, the Crystal Exarch. Please ask to skip ahead if you wish, though.” Sitting down with her legs crossed, Lily leaned her head back. “Now then, it all began in a land beyond the borders of any nation: a land called Mor Dhona. There, in a burgeoning outpost known as Revenant’s Toll, I was petitioned to aid the Sons of Saint Coinach…”


End file.
